NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE
Thomas Kent often referred to as the ‘forgotten patriot’ of 1916 is to be afforded a full state funeral after remains buried at Cork Prison were confirmed to be his following DNA testing
Kent was a prominent Irish nationalist leader and member of the Irish volunteers however he did not take part in the Easter Rising as orders to participate, originally scheduled to go ahead on Easter Sunday, were countermanded at the last moment by Eoin MacNeil
As a consequence Kent and his brothers were among the nationalists who stayed at home while the rising raged. Eventually, as part of a general trawl by the police for nationalist suspects sympathetic to the rising The Royal Irish Constabulary raided the Kent family home on 2 May 1916.
Despite fierce resistance from the family Thomas and his brother William were arrested while another brother, Richard, was wounded trying to escape and died shortly after. Thomas Kent and his remaining brother William were tried by courts-martial at Cork Detention Barracks. While William was acquitted Thomas was sentenced to death and was executed on 9 May 1916 at Victoria (now Collins) barracks in Cork He was 51.
His remains were buried on the grounds of Cork Prison where they were exhumed in June of this year as part of a project undertaken by the National Monuments Service, with assistance from the Irish Prison Service and the State Pathologist’s Office.
In announcing the State funeral Taoiseach Enda Kenny said;
“Thomas Kent was one of many young men who, in pursuit of the goal of Irish freedom, paid the ultimate sacrifice,”
The state funeral will take place at the family plot in Castlelyons, north Cork on Friday 18 September.
J B Moffatt (Mr)
Director of Information
Celtic League
14/08/15
THE CELTIC LEAGUE INFORMATION SERVICE
The Celtic League was established in 1961and has branches in the six Celtic Countries. It works to promote cooperation between these countries and campaigns on a broad range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, monitors all military activity and focuses on socio-economic issues
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